Cold Comfort

A fresh crop of cool operators have hit the local sweet treat scene, just in time for summer

Roots Ice Cream
S weet tea, strawberry-cilantro, and beet—that’s right, beet, as in the root vegetable. Roots Ice Cream’s Drew Harrison and Matt Frye have definitely turned the traditional summer treat on its head. Basing their menu on locally sourced ingredients, they create uniquely out-of-this-world flavors. Can’t decide? Try a sampler of four for $5. Find Roots at local farmers markets: Freshfields Village on Mondays; Mount Pleasant on Tuesdays; and downtown on Saturdays. www.rootsicecream.com

King of Pops
Nothing quite beats the heat like a popsicle, and lucky for us, sweet relief fit for royalty has rolled into town thanks to Andy McCarthy and his franchise of the Atlanta-based King of Pops. Find McCarthy and his cart via Twitter or Facebook and shell out $2.50 for a delicious, all-natural pop in flavors such as watermelon mojito, banana puddin’, and chocolate sea salt. Just be sure to get there before he sells out. @kingofpopsCHS on Twitter; facebook.com/KingofPopsCHS; www.kingofpops.net

Jack’s Cosmic Dogs
Feeling nostalgic for soft serve swirled high on a cone? Well, in July you can go to Jack’s Cosmic Dogs’ new West Ashley digs, where there’s a special entrance (and register), i.e. no wait behind the lunch crowd. There, take your pick from the basics—chocolate and vanilla—or go for something sassier, like orange creamsicle swirl. But if you really want to indulge, ask for Moon Pie Magic, featuring soft serve atop a warm, gooey pie drenched in chocolate. Yum! 817 St. Andrews Blvd., www.jackscosmicdogs.com

Happy CamperSnoballs
If you spot a kitschy vintage trailer mobbed by a crowd, then pull over and queue up. You’ve found Rena Lasch’s Happy Camper Snoballs, refreshing fruity treats that are leaps and bounds beyond the sugary, Red Dye No. 3 icies of yore. Lasch makes her syrups, such as grapefruit, strawberry, and lime, from fresh produce without preservatives or synthetic coloring. Check her site (and click on the Facebook link) for current stops but count on King Street’s Second Sundays. www.happycampersnoballs.com